To consider giving to freecycle wanted ads until

[ThatWomanAgain]

...I click on them and read the ends.

Wanted:TV needed



At least 32" and good condition, to be delivered to...





Wanted: Dining Table, urgent need






Wanted: Coffee Machine/ Deep Fat Frier/ Solid wood table



I'm a student and I need some living essentials

[TheMonster]

OMG! I never thought that some people would send replies from several accouts! I am always wary of ones that aren't obviously replies from freecycle, you know, without the re: offered... bits.
(did that make sense?)

[TheLadyEvenstar]

Niceguy, I run and moderate my local freegle (was freecycle) I started it up when I was pregnant with ds2 4yrs ago.

I agree it is a lot of hard work and can take hours to work through emails and sort out those who are scroungers.

I have just deleted 7 people who wanted to join with reasons such as

"Am moving to the are and need to furnish my home"

"Need to get baby stuff as I am expecting my 5th child"

"having my first baby and need nursery stuff"

I always reply to them and explain the purpose of Freegle is not just to get what you want and that the rules are you must offer something first....sadly some don't listen.

[niceguy2]

Lady, you clearly have more patience than me! Good luck.

I think the final nail in the coffin for me was when the UK Freecycle "leaders" fell out with the US and hence the split to Freegle. For me, the whole thing was just an unecessary spat over nothing. I was already pretty fed up with the whole thing so when the changeover happened I took the opportunity to resign.

[TheLadyEvenstar]

niceguy. I run it now with a very good friend.

I switched over to freegle and I have to say it has run a lot smoother since.

I have also met some lovely people through it and will keep going as long as I can.

[lisad123]

I always wondered why it went from freecycle to freegle?!!

[TheLadyEvenstar]

Lisa now you know

[Mabelface]

I'm also a Freegle co-owner and it's lovely being able to set our own rules. Our group runs smoothly now and we've weeded out the takers.

[WalterFlipschicks]

I recently offered a gas cooker, got 3 or 4 replies, all hideously rude (when can i collect, i want it etc...) except one, although it was the bast of a bad bunch.
I emailed back they said they would come on the sunday, didnt hear from them all day, then an email to say sorry computer problems blah blah!
Agreed they could come at 6 on the monday, they turned up at 7.15 so i answered the door with my 6 week old twins in my arms and told him he couldnt have it!
I wont use it again, its more trouble than its worth.

[lisad123]

Best one tonight! I put up our old tv, it's a pure flat screen but not a LCD one. Got this reply "I would like this but only if it's the 1000hrz one"

I replied "well you can't need it that badly if you can be that picky! "

[mancbird]

We had a guy on our local freecycle asking for a canoe this week. Very random. Haven't seen a "received" message yet...

[DilysPrice]

I should post, in the interest of balance, that I've been using Freecycle for a few years now, and met some lovely people who all seemed to be very genuine - got rid of loads of old furniture and bits and pieces of kids' stuff, and received a fair few useful things as well.

I've just recommended it to a broke mate who's finally been moved into a reasonable size house with her 3 DCs, and has practically no furniture - I wouldn't say she's taking the piss if she tried to fit it out for free - she has as much right to ask for stuff that other people are throwing out as anyone.

On at least 2 occasions I've ended up giving things to people I know,

[kayah]

I was offering a bunk bed

noone was interested

I advertised it for 2 weeks

in the end I delivered it to someone as I didn't want it to get thrown as it was in a very good condition

[AmyStake]

I saw an amazing post a few days ago on our local Freecycle.

"TV wanted. Any size or age, does not matter. For students.

Must have HDMI connection"



I love the idea of freecycle but its not working. People want ridiculous things and anything semi decent somebody could actually use will get ebayed or carbooted.

[ravenAK]

I have to say my experiences have all been positive!

Shifted lots of unwanted stuff, blagged a couple of nice things eg. a thumping great double wardrobe, on the basis that dh was happy to disassemble it & take it away by van.

Also a couple of occasions when you know it's really worked: all my late first dh's vinyl eventually went to a 12 year old lad who'd just got into alternative music - had an email weeks later to say that he & his dad were spending happy hours bopping to Siouxsie, the Cramps & the Dead Kennedys together...& an elderly lady who took all dh's Round the Horne cassettes for her own husband who was looking at a lengthy hospital stay & had loved it when it was broadcast.

I'm quite relaxed about the blaggers - if someone wants to take stuff I CBA to ebay & try for a few quid on it, good luck to them. I give to polite people first, but tbh if it keeps whatever it is out of landfill, I'm happy to get shot of it on any terms.

[Solo]

All I've seen recently have been:

WANTED
WANTED
WANTED
WANTED
TAKEN
WANTED
RECEIVED
WANTED
OFFERED
TAKEN

I put two OFFERED lots on separate posts just to make it look better

[cwtch4967]

My local freecycle has banned wanted ads for luxury items. I've given (got rid of) lots of stuff through freecycle and also been lucky in receiving lots myself - bike carrier / bunk beds / kids clothes / swing machine table and lots more.
There are a lot of idiots and greedy people abusing the site but it is very handy.

[LoveBeingAtHomeOnMyOwn]

How about this one......


My sister is expecting her first child and is looking for any baby items that
wil be of use:

Nursery cot / furniture
Cot sheets, nursery bedding/curtains
baby rocker
bottle warmer
baby bath
bibs
clothes
toys
baby monitor

Anything else that you may know of that would come is handy! Thank you so much.


So basically everything plus anything we've not thought of

[melpomene]

A while ago I put up an ad on Freecycle offering a joystick (for computer games). The person I offered it to lived about 5 minutes' walk from us, and the item was so small and light that it could easily be carried in one hand. He expected me to deliver it. When I said he'd have to collect I never heard from him again.

[HarrietJones]

Mancgirl- canoes common on ours. I tried a couple of times & missed them.

[Solo]

I've just this minute given 2 moses baskets and 2 changing bags away and I so hope they aren't selling them on. It's taken a huge amount of strength to let them go :(

[Mercedes519]

I once saw a 'wanted' for an oscilloscope. And then actually saw that they had received one!!! I just imagined someone thinking oh yes, I have one of those in my shed. Have no idea what it is....

I use Freegle but only to offer stuff and will always give preference to people that use punctuation and manners . I've always expected people to collect and have had people who appear genuinely in need and grateful for it. That said as I use eBay I only Freegle stuff that doesn't have a lot of commercial value. Gives a warm and fuzzy feeling.

[lizardqueenie]

Am enjoying this thread as DH were poking through freecycle the other evening to see if it would be worth putting on the sofa's we were getting rid of but needed them gone rather sharpish as we had nowhere to store them.. Love the idea of freecycle & reckon we have a lot of stuff we could put on there to help others out but was slightly :-0 at the lists of people's very specific requirements AND some of the offers. I kid you not someone was offering some half used boxes box of oxo cubes- lamb, beef and chicken flavour! Wtf??

[Solo]

Well, maybe they've gone vegetarian and feel it's wasteful to just bin then lizard.

[Solo]

them*